RTWE CH 04

A few days later.

Maid No. 1, No. 2, and No. 3 knelt before Lumiere with nervous expressions.

Lumiere let out a hollow laugh.

The ‘sincerity’ they had brought was nowhere near what she had expected.

“I’m pretty sure I told you to show me some sincerity.”

No. 1 offered an excuse apologetically.

“Your Highness, how could we possibly take your words lightly? It’s just that the amount of money we can prepare immediately is limited…”

“That’s your problem.”

They had been siphoning off money for years, yet they were offering her barely one month’s salary?

And all three of them had brought exactly the same amount, as if they had planned it together.

Perhaps they thought that if they did this, she would let all three of them go.

But a conspiracy always fell apart the moment one side broke their agreement.

Lumiere set down the jingling pouch and said to No. 1,

“Out of the three of you, your sincerity is the most acceptable.”

“Pardon…?”

“Even though it doesn’t meet my expectations, I did give you my word, so I have no choice.”

“What do you mean by that, Your Highness…?”

“You may remain in the Imperial Palace. But I’ll take the other two to the Grand Duchy, so pack your belongings.”

For a moment, the atmosphere inside the room subtly changed.

No. 2’s gaze slowly shifted toward No. 1.

They had definitely offered the same amount, so why?

No. 3 also glanced sideways at No. 1 with a stiff expression.

Meanwhile, No. 1 merely moved her lips, looking as though she had no idea what was happening.

“Y-Your Highness, there seems to be some misunderstanding. Surely the sincerity of all three of us was similar…”

“And how do you know whether your sincerity was the same? Did you perhaps coordinate your answers beforehand?”

“……!”

No. 1 froze, unable to find anything to say.

The other two, who had been watching the situation carefully, hurriedly prostrated themselves.

“Y-Your Highness, we’ll somehow come up with the remaining amount!”

“I-I’ve already sent a letter to my family. If you could just wait a few more days…”

Forget their agreement—they were already scrambling to save themselves.

To think I had suffered humiliation at the hands of people like these.

Lumiere let out another hollow laugh and entered the bedroom.

Click.

After closing the door, she quietly pressed her ear against it.

Soon, she could hear the three women arguing.

“How much more did you offer?”

“I don’t know! I really paid exactly what we agreed on.”

“You expect me to believe that?”

“Then what? Shall we go ask Her Highness? We can find out whose word is true.”

“You really…!”

Just as she had expected, the close relationship they had maintained until recently had begun to crack.

Now all I have to do is wait.

The three women, desperate to survive, would frantically bring her more and more money.

Imagining the pouch that would soon become considerably heavier, the corners of Lumiere’s lips curved into a pleased smile.

The Wiezer Empire, the Emperor’s Office.

A man with blond hair, blue eyes, and an impressive physique, yet possessing an utterly vile-looking face, let out a baffled scoff.

Tainer von Wiezer.

“The Grand Duke will arrive in the capital soon?”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“He’s actually coming all this way himself to take that wretch with him? How absurd.”

“Perhaps he’s worried that Her Highness the Princess might run away?”

“They say women keep running away the moment a marriage proposal is made to them. Tsk, tsk.”

The princess herself had even attempted to poison herself, saying she would rather die than marry a barbarian, so it wasn’t entirely surprising that he had come to retrieve her personally.

‘The day the black hawk of the North spreads its wings, a shadow will fall upon the sun.’

The thought of that ominous nonsense made him uneasy about mixing the blood of the Imperial Family with the blood of barbarians, but there was nothing he could do.

No one was willing to take that girl because of the scandal she had caused.

“What about that girl? Surely she isn’t making another fuss about wanting to die?”

“No, Your Majesty. She has remained quiet ever since she woke up.”

“That’s a relief.”

After everything she had done to bring shame upon the Imperial Family, she deserved to pay the price.

It would be troublesome if she died without having been of any use whatsoever.

“Make sure this news is kept completely secret so that the princess doesn’t do anything foolish. And once the Grand Duke arrives, bring her straight to the throne room.”

“I will do so.”

“Oh, and have the Trobitan Duke summoned to the Imperial Palace that day.”

“Pardon…?”

Why summon him when the princess’s desperate feelings for him were already widely known?

The attendant’s eyes wavered in confusion, and the Emperor twisted his lips into a sneer.

“Even if she is the shame of the Imperial Family, she is still my only younger sister. I should at least give her one final opportunity to meet her first love, shouldn’t I?”

“Of course, Your Majesty. If Her Highness learns of Your Majesty’s profound consideration, she will surely be overwhelmed by your grace.”

“Indeed. She should be.”

A vulgar malice surfaced in the Emperor’s blue eyes.

The nonsense uttered by that lowly dancer continued to grow like mold in the shadows, spread by the mouths of those who still doubted his abilities and qualifications.

Therefore, that wretch would have to pay for her mother’s sins for the rest of her life.

Just as he himself had to carry that ominous prophecy like a shadow for the rest of his life.

And yet, he was generous enough to give her an opportunity to bid farewell to her beloved first love.

What greater mercy could there be?

The Emperor gave a twisted smile as he imagined the princess collapsing miserably in despair.

It had already been a month since Lumiere returned to the past.

The maids’ shallow bond had completely fallen apart after just that one act of turning them against each other.

Now sworn enemies, the three women competed desperately to become the last survivor, offering up not only money but also new dresses and jewelry.

They even informed on one another.

How much money they had embezzled.

What they had said while badmouthing each other.

And so on.

They really are ridiculous.

How could it not be amusing to watch people just as despicable as one another tear each other apart simply to save themselves?

In any case, after spending an entire month tormenting them and relieving her stress, Lumiere felt as though even her skin had begun to glow.

“Your Highness, an envoy from the Grand Duchy has arrived at the city gates!”

At last, the news she had been waiting for arrived.

Perhaps because the Grand Duke had come, or perhaps because the day she would finally leave the Imperial Palace had arrived, her heart began to pound with anticipation.

“I’d better prepare to leave quickly.”

Since she was about to meet her future husband for the first time, she couldn’t afford to waste even a single second.

With the help of her maids, Lumiere finished getting ready.

It was worth spending an entire month diligently taking care of myself.

Her white hair, glossy and smooth after being treated with scented oil.

Her pale yet clear and silky skin.

Her beautiful, deep-set eyes and full, red lips.

In the mirror stood a beautiful woman dressed in an elegant gown, with an air of melancholy as though she carried a profound story within her.

Perhaps it was because she had devoted herself to taking care of the body she had neglected for so long.

She hadn’t even done anything particularly elaborate, yet she could almost see a trace of her mother—the dancer who had captured the Emperor’s heart despite her lowly status.

Lumiere turned her gaze away from the mirror and checked her money pouch.

Inside, the gold coins and jewels she had taken from the maids over the past month glittered brightly.

There was quite a substantial amount, as though she had scraped together every last bit of their wealth.

“Your Highness, but whom do you intend to take with you to the North…?”

At Maid No. 1’s cautious question, Lumiere shook her head.

“There’s no need. Even if I took them with me, I’d be lucky if they weren’t more trouble than they were worth.”

At those words, the maids’ faces brightened.

They shouldn’t be so happy.

Would that despicable Emperor really remain calm after seeing her looking perfectly healthy like this?

No.

He would undoubtedly look for someone to take out his anger on.

And the most likely targets would be the maids of Viola Palace who had spent the past month diligently helping the princess regain her health.

…Well, whatever happens to them is none of my concern.

She securely hid the rather heavy money pouch inside her clothes before straightening her attire.

How long had she been waiting?

Eventually, No. 1 announced the arrival of an imperial attendant.

“Her Highness the Princess, an attendant sent by His Majesty the Emperor has arrived. His Majesty has ordered you to come to the throne room immediately.”

Without the slightest idea of what awaited her in the near future, Lumiere left the room, leaving behind the maids who were still excited.

At last, the moment to leave had arrived.

To leave this unbearably dreadful Imperial Palace.